Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-04

the head of the kitchen stairs, not to call
the sulky Nelly, but to fetch them for
herself.
She heard ger husband and the servant
talking together in a low voice in the
kitchen this angcrcd her. Her little
shell of II left ear was burning. They
were talking about her. He had been
so unfair to her that she excused
herself for being undcrhand with him.
She crept to the bottom of the stone steps
to listen.
81 say you're a fool, said the maid.
"Whatcver can have possessed you to
bring this wax doll into the house to ruin
us all2'
81 could not help myself, she is so con
foundedly pretty. She bcwildered me,
and her mother threw her at my head. "
"You are old enough to know better
growled Nelly. IF twas yourself alone
were endangered you might go the whole
way and be welcome; but it's the lot OF
us, as you know well enough
Nonsense, Nclly,n said Mr.. Beaufort,
she's such n fool she can do no hurt"
"She's not such II fool as you suppose"
remarked the woman, land may play us
an ugly trick yet
''She must not leave the house.
'I've taken care of that said Nelly;
give took away her boots, and she'll
scarce go abroad in her slippers. Still,
that is neither here nor there: what | say
is that you have run us all into great
risk by bringing her here
"Well, well, Nelly, it amt for long
"No, it is not for long: but it may be
just too long for our interests"
Then Trip heard her husbands step,
as though he were coming to the stairs,
and she stole back as She had descended.
What was the meaning Of this;
TO come to some understanding, she
asked for her boots. The woman said she
was sorry, she had put one pair to dry
over the kitchen range, and the fire hao
been too hot, it had burned them. The
soles had warped and curled so that The
threads were torn and the top leather
had parted from them.
"WhcrC is the other pair?'
"The rats have eaten holes in them.
left them on the sink in the scullery
and the beasts came up from the drains
they do, of "A night, after the potato
parings."
LET me see the two pairs
every sorry, but, because they wcr
spoiled | chuckcd them away into tn
!, ash pit, and the dust cart has taken then
off this very morning.
$50 / have no boots to go out i'm
''None at all. -
Trip turned to her husband who stoo
at the window drumming with hi
fingers on the glass.
"Algernon, will you 90 out and sen
me shoemaker, or some shoes to fit o
APPROVAL
$ eyes my dear; will go at once
He left the house; hours passed, but n
, bootmaker appeared.
s Trip was very angry; she was bein
r fooled She called the woman to he
and bade her 90 for what was wanted.
r II durstnt," said Nelly "not till til
: master be come in. How do / know br
: he may have spoke with some one in O.,
l ford street, or the Strand, or Roger
1 street? You must cultivate patience
Il When he comes home he will bring II
u shoes with him. Out this way the shoe
d and boots be all bad, not fit for such
YOU TO wear. The master knows tina
u shat is why he has gone into London fC
i them. He likes to see you stylish shOd.
| Trips blood was up. She was not d.
. ccved. There was IA leer in the woman
eye that Knocked her.
she waited till Nelly was gone, the
she hastily opened the front door an
4 walked forth in her slippers, and withol
bonnet; she would not go uptsairs I
}. fetch one. After she had reached II
: head of the street or road in which va
the house she turned and saw II
. woman following, watching her.
u She went on, head in air and with fan
!. ing cheeks, into a main thorourhfar
4 where were shops and went into the fir
4 jewelers. and showed him her ring, an
asked him to lend her something on it.
To- Il -l.,. l. !, -.
stones were false; he would advanC
D nothing on it. 1t was rubbish
, Trip left the shop. Her heart beat fl
. riously with shame and wrath. Befol
J her was the pockmarked face of III
u woman, puckcred with laughter, lookin
y in at the shop door.
-, "Well, so you've not got money fC
, boots yet" she said. Come home an
4 be peaceable. Wait till the masters +,
u turn. He'll be in presently, and then 20
can have your bootS-and hook it.